


Forbidden Fruit

by ConsentFest, momstiel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Coming Out, Enemies to Friends, Gay Draco Malfoy, Genderqueer Character, Genderqueer Harry Potter, HP Consent Fest 2019, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Other, Self-Acceptance, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-05 09:31:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17916263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsentFest/pseuds/ConsentFest, https://archiveofourown.org/users/momstiel/pseuds/momstiel
Summary: "To Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter had always been akin to forbidden fruit."In which Harry comes out as genderqueer, and Draco envies his self-confidence.





	Forbidden Fruit

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my boyfriend for being my beta-reader! 
> 
> Written for the Hp Consent Fest 2019

To Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter had always been akin to forbidden fruit. They stood for everything that he could never have and never be. Harry let out a special kind of light that his parents would always force him to shut out. However, that never prevented Draco from admiring from afar. They were bold and brazen, and they did everything with a Gryffindor flourish. Even though he’d rather die than admit it, Draco had always admired their careless attitude. Every move Draco made was calculated and alert, but Harry moved without fear. Despite being proud of his house, he found himself almost envying the Gryffindors who got to effortless befriend them.

 

As Draco sat in potions, idly lounging back, his thoughts continued to drift to the person he almost once befriended. Earlier in the week, Harry had come out as genderqueer, identifying with they/them pronouns. Draco was astonished by this discovery, and even more so by the fact, his little clique of friends accepted this without even blinking. For a good chunk of his own life, he had sheltered the fact he was homosexual. A gay Malfoy? That would be unheard of, and he knew very well that he would be disowned and shunned for the confession. So, he buried it deep inside of him. Harry, on the other hand, did the opposite. He strutted around like a true Gryffindor, brazen and unfearing of his gender identity.

 

 _Speak of the devil,_ Draco thought as Harry walked into the classroom. However, any other thoughts were cut short when he saw they were wearing a skirt. The Weasley and Granger were trailing at their side, talking and laughing, acting as if Harry running around in a skirt was the most normal thing they had ever seen. A few Slytherins who shared the class turned and looked at Potter with something akin to disgust, but Harry went over to his place as if none of the negativity even touched him.

 

As Professor Snape inserted the classroom, he shot a glance at Potter, then looked away and mumbled something about him definitely being James’ offspring. Draco had little time to think more about the statement, or Harry’s outfit because Snape had already started the lesson.

 

For the better chunk of twenty minutes, Professor Snape dragged on and on about the backstory of the Volubilis potion. Following that, he performed a demonstration and split the class up in pairs to brew it. That is how Draco found himself next to Harry, staring as they gathered all the ingredients.

 

“So… you’re wearing a skirt now?” Draco asked, trying to start a conversation. Subconsciously, he might have sounded a little condescending, but he blamed that on his aristocratic accent.

 

“Yeah, and you’re wearing a Slytherin robe. Are we done pointing out the obvious now?” Harry asked. Even though they had used a lot of sass, there seemed to be no malicious intent in their reply. “Do you have the honeywater?”

 

Draco passed it over, “It’d be concerning if I didn’t.” He could be just as witty and sharp-tongued as Potter.

 

There was an awkward silence as both of the students worked on their potions, measuring out the proper amounts. That was until Harry decided to break the silence, “So… nothing else to say about my outfit? No snobby little remarks? No digs?”

 

“Do you want me to make a snobby little remark?” Draco returned, arching a brow.

 

“No,” Harry said simply, shrugging as they started to stir the potion. “It’s just, I’ve seen you staring at me since class started.”

 

Draco’s cheeks reddened. Had he been staring at Potter for that long? He turned his head away to the other direction. The only reason he had been looking for so long was that he didn’t know what to think of Potter’s bold decision. “Don’t flatter yourself, Potter.”

 

Even though Draco wasn’t looking their direction, he could hear the grin in their voice as they replied, “Wouldn’t dream of it, Malfoy.”

 

When enough time had passed that Draco felt confident enough to actually look back at Harry, he realized something else that he didn’t know how he missed before. As Harry cut up the mint springs, Draco’s eyes fell onto their hands. The tips of the nails were painted black. Mesmerized but not wanting to be called out again, Draco pulled himself to look away. “Do your friends accept that?” He quietly added on.

 

“Accept what?” Harry asked, moving to face Draco as they turned to listen.

 

“Your… your gender thing.”

 

Harry’s green eyes lit up with realization and they paused, as if in thought. “They did. They’re good friends, you know. I know you think they’re inferior because they’re ‘blood traitors’ and muggle-born. They accept me for me, genderqueer or not though.”

 

Draco scoffed a tiny bit. He never particularly disliked Harry’s friends, he just didn’t favor them because from a young age it was forced into his mind that they were below him. The ingrown prejudice caused a wedge to form, and Draco found the restriction and isolation deafening. “Do they really?”

 

“Of course,” Harry said simply, putting their wooden spoon down. “We’re friends, after all.”

 

Draco wished he could say that his friends would accept him with the same certainty Potter had if he told them he was gay. For the rest of the class, things went relatively boring. Neither brought up talk outside of the potion, they finished it and then went their separate ways. All the while Draco was thinking about Harry.

 

* * *

 

 

Later that day, Draco was sitting by the lake, under a tree. He was running a hand through his hair, minding his own business when he heard footsteps approaching. Quickly, he turned around, only to see Potter approaching him. They were no longer wearing a skirt.

 

“I came over here to remind you we need to check in on our potion later,” Harry said simply, “Does five or so work for you?”

 

“Yes,” Draco replied, glancing back at the lake. He then turned back to look at the other, “No longer wearing the skirt, hm? What happened?” He asked, surprised to see the other without it. Maybe they weren’t as invincible as they thought, and the looks finally got to them.

 

“Nothing happened,” Harry reassured, looking at him with surprise. “I just felt like changing back into pants. I don’t really relate to either gender. I don’t like labels, and I wear whatever I want when I want. I felt like wearing this, so I did. No further obligations.”

 

Draco looked puzzled, furrowing his brows. Harry had always made things sound so simple, so free. He never had the luxury of changing the norms, and it made jealousy boil up inside of him. “Well, not all of us can alter the status quo,” He said, not without a little bite to his words.

 

“I disagree,” Harry responded, slowly lowering themselves to the ground beside Draco.

 

“You would,” Draco said quickly, “You run around with rose-colored glasses on, playing the role of the hero and having people worship you no matter what you do.”

 

Harry looked stunned by Draco’s response, blinking a few times as they processed the information. “My life isn’t peachy either, you know.” He said, glancing at Draco, “And I don’t mean just my background, or, or, this whole chosen one title.”

 

When Draco remained quiet, Harry took it as a prompt to go on and continued, “Coming to terms with my gender hasn’t been all fun and games. I struggled with myself for a few years, trying to figure out why I felt the way I did. I get being scared, I was scared, too. I was scared of what Ron and Hermione would think. I was worried about what my professors would think,” They confirmed, “But… I also knew that I couldn’t hide who I am. I couldn’t just sit back and let my life slip away from my hands because I’m hiding away. So… I came clean, knowing that I was going to be genderqueer whether I did or didn’t have their support.”

 

“There wasn’t a lot at risk for you, though,” Draco responded, “You don’t have to worry about being disowned, or getting banished from all your friends and family.”

 

“No, but I was worried about losing the only family I ever really had,” Harry replied, their voice gentle even though Draco knew they had every right to snap back. “I just knew I couldn’t hide anymore. It wasn’t fair to me.”

 

“How did you tell them?” Draco asked, looking down and playing with the grass as if it had suddenly just become the most fascinating thing in the world.

 

Harry shrugged, “I just… sort of did. I sat down with them, told them I had news, and explained it to them. Ron didn’t know what it meant, so I had to explain to him what it meant to me. It’s kind of different for every person, so I just wanted him to understand what it was like for me personally. Then, you know what happened? We went down to dinner, and everything was the same except I felt happier with myself.”

 

Draco picked up a rock he had found among the grass he was pulling out. He aimlessly threw it at the lake, skipping it around. There was a small splash that covered their silence. Just like many things, Harry had made it all look so… so easy. It was something that came naturally to Harry, but Draco knew he’d never be able to approach it without severe repercussions.

 

“You know, sometimes it takes only telling one person to get the confidence you need,” Harry said, pushing their glasses up the bridge of their nose, “So, is there anything you feel the need to confess?”

 

Like a bunch of dominos being pushed over, something quickly snapped inside of Draco. He felt vulnerable, way too vulnerable. It was almost as if Harry had put the spotlight on him, and he didn’t like it. “Don’t be ridiculous, Potter,” He spat, standing up and gathering his bag. He threw it over his shoulder.

 

“Malfoy… I won’t judge you for it,”

 

Draco stood up and started to head out, but as soon as he started to walk, it felt as though there was sand in his pockets. He had issues moving, so he just stood still. “You want to know? You really want to know?” He asked, clenching his fist.

 

“I’m gay.”

 

There was a pause, and Draco felt bitter regret filling him up. What if Harry blackmailed him with this information? What if Harry spread the rumor all around? He’d be dead if his parents found out.

 

“I’m happy you told me… so I think the only thing we can do about this now is… well… want dinner?” Harry asked, their face soft, forming a small grin on their lips as they chuckled.

 

“I can’t be cau-”

 

Before Draco could even finish, Harry cut him off, “We don’t need to eat it in the great hall. We could get some food, and maybe take it out here or something.” They suggested.

 

Draco relaxed. Suddenly, he felt a tiny bit of the burden come off. Maybe the light Harry emitted wasn’t so far away. As he walked towards the Great Hall with Potter, he looked over at the person he once compared to forbidden fruit. Maybe, just maybe, they weren’t so forbidden after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> END NOTES ; 
> 
> I just felt as though this prompt spoke to me because it brought up such of an important thing - learning to accept your gender identity. When you think of consent, you usually think of two people consenting to do stuff with each other. However, I wanted this fic to feature learning how to consent - or to allow yourself - to be happy with the way you are. One of the hardest things for me when I came out as genderfluid was learning how to be okay with myself. When I finally accepted it and consented to the change, things became so much better.


End file.
